Spring hinge



R. VOGEL May 3% 950 SPRING HINGE Filed mg. 415,

m INVENTOR. .Hynmlf Vm BEL a/'TM/ ATTUFNEY Patented May 30, 1950 UNITEDSTATES PA'iENT FFICE.`

S'RlNG HINGE Rudolf Vogel, Bridgeport, Conn.

Application August l5, 1946, Serial` No. 690,678

(Cl. 22d- 35) 3 Claims. l

The present invention relates to a, spring hinge, and has for an objectto provide a device of this charactei` formed from a single length ofwire, and which includes a helical coil portion and a pair of attachingbail portions extending therefrom and which are adapted to have hingedmovement with respect to each other about the axis` of the coil throughwinding action applied to the coil. It is further proposed to provide aspring hinge in which the bail` portions are respectively extended. fromthe two ends of the coil and have their terminal ends respectivelyinserted within the. opposite ends oi; the coil, to the end that thebail portions are iirmly supported against distortion and their Germinalends constitute axial pivot pins within the coil.

Another object is to provide a spring hinge having` attaching bailportions adapted` to be attaolfled` to the receptacle and cover parts ofthe container simply by inserting the bait portions in pocket formationsprovided in the receptacle and cover parts oi the container, thusproviding a` spring hinge which may be quickly assembled without thenecessity of employing extraneous attaching` means, Hence, the springhinge of the invention is advantageously adapted for use in a` containerformed of` moulded plastic material, in which pocket formations` forreceiving the bails of the spring hinge may be formed during themoulding of theplastic parts.

Another object is toprovide a spring hinge in which the hingeaxis isadapted to have limited lateral movement with respect to the receptaclepart of a container during opening and closing of the cover part, and`whereby a component of lateral force is exerted by the spring hinge uponthe cover,` part to retain it in closed position.

With the above and` other objects in` View., `an embodiment of theinvention is shown in the accompanying drawings, and this embodimentwill be hereinafter more fully described with reference thereto, and theinvention will be finally pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings:`

Fig. 1 is aperspective view of aspringhinge, according to theillustrated exemplary embodiment of the invention.

Eig. 2 is a vertical sectional view thereof, taken alongthe line 2--2 ofFig. l.

Fig. 3` is a side elevation of a container in which isl incorporated thespring` hinge of the invention, the container being shown in` closedposition.

Fig. 4. is arearward endyiew thereof.

Fig. 5 is a longitudinal vertical sectional View, partially broken away,showing the cover in its open position.

Fig. 6 is a top plan View of the container in the open position as shownin Fig. 5t.

Fig. 7 is a longitudinal vertical sectional viewl partially broken away,showing the cover in partially closed4 position.

Fig.` 8 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view, partially brokenaway, showing the` cover in fully closed position.

Similar reference characters indicate correspending parts throughout theseveral figures of the drawings.

Referring to the drawings, the spring hinge, according to theillustrated` exemplary embodiment ot the invention, isformed from asingle length of wire bent to; shape, and comprises an intermediatehelical coil portion l-G, at one end of which, the wire is extended toforma substantially rectangular shaped bail` portion` `l I', one leg ofwhich extends from said one end of the coil While the other legis bentat its. terminal end portion l2 ata substantial right angle and isinserted, within` the passage through the coil at the opposite end. Theother `attaching bail i3 is similarly formed from an extensioniof thewire from the opposite end'` of` the coil, its terminalend I4 being bentat a substantial right angle and inserted in the endof the coilopposedto the end` in which the terminal` end |2- is inserted.

The transverse end portions of the hails are outwardly crimpeohasA at l5and, i5, for the purpose of frictionally retaining the attaching ballsin suitable pocket formations in the receptacle and covei` parts` ofthecontainer or other hinged structure, as will presently more fullyappear. The bail il` is preierablyoutwardly oiiset. from the coil bymeans of bends iTi-tl-inits two side legs in relatively close proximitytothe coil, for the purpose of enabling the coil portion to have aslight lateral swinging movement withirespect to the bail portion, aswill presently more fully appear. The spring is` illustrated as formedand tempered so that thebails, are atsubstantial right angles to eachother inthe normal or untensioned state. Itwillbe understood, however,that the bails may be in anyothersuitableirelation to each other intheir normal` or untensioned state, depending upon the,` particulardesign of the hinged` structurein which the spring hinge" is to be used.t

In Figs. 3 to 8 thespring; hinge of the invention is shown incorporatedin` a` container formed .of

plastic material, and which is substantially similar to the containerdisclosed and claimed in my co-pending patent application for Containerfor a cigarette package or the like, Serial No. 634,270, led December11, 1945, now Patent No. 2,483,304. This container comprises areceptacle part, indicated generally as l, and a cover part, indicatedgenerally as i9, and which, because of the resilient characteristics ofthe plastic material from which the parts are constructed, have alimited degree of resilient yieldability.

The receptacle part I8 of the container has provided at its upper endportion a relatively thin lip iiange 20 extending entirely around itsfour sides, a stop shoulder 2i being provided at the lower edge of theflange 2&3 at the outer side of the receptacle part. The rearward wallof the receptacle part is relatively thicker than the side and frontwalls, and is provided with a recess 22 extending downwardly from theshoulder 2l and having its end walls inwardly spaced from each of theside walls of the receptacle part. The base wall of' the recess ishorizontally disposed, its end walls are vertically disposed and itsinner wall is substantially flush with the outer surface of the flange25. In the base wall of the recess 22 there is provided a verticallydisposed pocket 23 extending downwardly in the rearward wall of thereceptacle, and adapted to receive the attaching bail portion l l of thespring hinge, the transverse crimped portion l of the bail portion beingsprung as it is engaged with the pocket so that it frictionally retainsthe bail portion in the pocket. The bends l'l-il of the bail portion llare substantially in line with the base wall of the recess 22, and inthe open position of the cover part, as shown in Fig. 5, extendoutwardly in the recess.

The cover part I9 is provided within its lower end with an internalrecess 24 extending about its four sides, and in which the flange 2B ofthe receptacle part is adapted to fit in the closed position of thecover, the lower edge of the cover part in the closed position seatingupon the shoulder 2l, and the shoulder of the recess 26 seating upon theupper flange 25. In closed position the inner and outer surfaces of thecover part are substantially iiush along its four sides with the innerand outer surfaces of the receptacle part. As in the case of thereceptacle part, the rearward wall of the cover part is substantiallythicker than the side and front walls, and is provided in its lowersurface with a pocket 25 extending vertically upwardly in said rearwall. This pocket 25 is substantially identical to the pocket 23 of thereceptacle part and is adapted to have the bail portion I 3 of thespring hinge inserted and retained therein, the crimped transverseportion l5 being sprung to provide frictional retaining pressure.

In the assembled relation of the spring hinge the helical coil il! isdisposed in the recess 22, and through the bends lI-ll is adapted tohave slight lateral movement within the recess 22. The rearward wall ofthe cover part is of such thickness that in the closed position, asshown in Fig. 8, there is a, clearance space 25 between the inner sideof the wall and the rearward side of the flange 20, and which permits oflimited lateral movement of the cover part with respect to thereceptacle part. This lateral movement is utilized for causing a,retaining projection 2l formed on the forward wall of the flange 21'! toengage within a, retaining recess 23 in the forward wall of the coverpart, this lateral movement being permitted by the floating axis of thespring hinge which is facilitated by the bends l'i-ll of the bailportion II.

In the open position, as shown in Fig. 5, the pre-set form of the springis such that the cover stands substantially vertically and entirelyclear of the interior of the receptacle part. In closing the cover it isfirst swung to a position as seen in Fig. 7, this swinging movementtaking place through winding of the coil l@ of the hinge about arelatively fixed axis. The forward end of the cover part contacts theupper surface of the forward end of the flange 2i?, which is preferablymade somewhat lower than the rearward end by forming the upper edge ofthe forward portion of 'the flange at a downward incline, as at 29. Alsothis forward end is slightly rounded as at 3U, to provide a cammingsurface over which the forward edge of the cover may move. At this pointin the closing movement the cover part is rearwardly oixset, so thatthere is substantial lateral clearance between the rearward wall of thecover part and the rearward wall of the flange 2li. The cover part isthereupon forced into its fully closed position by moving it laterallyover the rounded surface E@ and at the same time swinging it downwardlyagainst the stop shoulder 2l, the lateral movement being suihcient toenable the retaining projection 2l and recess 28 to interengage. In thisclosed position the coil of the spring hinge is sprung forwardly aboutthe bending points l'l-i'l, creating sufficient tension within the legsof the bail portion to exert a rearward lateral force upon the cover toretain it closed.

In order to open the container, it is simply necessary to apply slightpressure to one of the corners of the receptacle part, which is soconstructed that slight pressure will sufficiently distort its basicshape to cause the frictional pressure between the receptacle and coverparts set up by the lateral force of the spring hinge to be momentarilyreleased, and also to cause the projection 2l to disengage from therecess 28 sufficiently to allow the opening force of the spring hinge tobecome effective. Thereupon the spring hinge swings the cover to openposition, the cover moving laterally as it is initially swung from' theclosed position to the position shown in Fig. 7, and thereupon swingingabout a substantially fixed axis to the open position shown in Fig. 5.

While the spring hinge of the invention is illustrated in connectionwith a particular type of container, it will be obvious that it can beincorporated in any suit-able type of hinged structure, and it will alsobe evident that the attaching bail portions of the spring hinge may beconnected to the respective parts of the hinged structure by othersuitable means than the pocket formations illustrated, for instance, thebail portions may be secured by staples, by adhesive strips, and byother obvious means.

I have illustrated and described a preferred and satisfactory embodimentof the invention, but it will be understood that changes may be madetherein, within the spirit and scope thereof as defined in the appendedclaims.

What is claimed is:

1. A spring hinge formed from a single length of spring wire comprisingan intermediate helical coil portion having an axial passagetherethrough, a transversely extending bail portion for attaching to onepart of a hinged structure having one side leg extending from one end ofsaid coil portion and its other side leg engaging at its terminal endwithin the other end of said coil portion, and a second transverselyextending bail portion for attaching to another part of said hingedstructure having one side leg extending from said other end of said coilportion and its other side leg engaging at its terminal end within saidrst mentioned end of said coil portion, each of the side legs of atleast one of said bail portions having bends in relatively closeproximity to said coil portion whereby the plane of the part of saidbail portion outwardly of said bends is outwardly offset from said coilportion and the portions of the side legs inwardly of said bends areadapted to flex when said bail portion is anchored outwardly of saidbends.

2. A spring hinge formed from a single length of spring wire comprisingan intermediate helical coil portion having an axial passagetherethrough, a transversely extending bail portion for attaching to onepart of a hinged structure having one side leg extending from one end ofsaid coil portion and its other side leg engaging at its terminal endwithin the other end of said coil portion, and a second transverselyextending bail portion for attaching to another part of said hingedstructure having one side leg extending from said other end of said coilportion and its other side leg engaging at its terminal end within saidrst mentioned end of said coil portion, said bail portions each having acrimp respectively provided therein and projecting outwardly of theplane of the side legs.

3. The combination in a hinged structure of a pair of members havingsubstantially opposed pocket formations, and a spring hinge formed froma single length of spring wire comprising an intermediate helical coilportion having an axial passage therethrough, a transversely extendingbail portion engaged in one of said pocket formations having one sideleg extending from one end of said coil portion and its other side legengaging at its terminal end within the other end of said coil portion,and a second transversely extending bail portion engaged in said otherpocket formation having one side leg extending from said other end ofsaid coil portion and its other side leg engaging at its terminal endwithin said first mentioned end of said coil portion, said bail portionseach having a crimp respectively provided therein and projectingoutwardly of the plane of the side legs and adapted to frictionallyengage a wall of the pocket formation engaged thereby under springpressure.

RUDOLF VOGEL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the iile ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 371,308 Dumas Oct. 11, 1887741,626 Chesney Oct. 20, 1903

